


Jacquerie

by RedDice



Category: Homestuck, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Ashen Romance | Auspistice, BAMF Midoriya Izuku, Bakudeku is not bashed either, Bakugo is not bashed in this fic, But it starts off rough, Caliginous Romance | Kismesis, Childhood Friends, Dead Yagi Toshinori | All Might, Developing Relationship, F/F, F/M, Flushed Romance | Matesprits, Forbidden Love, Government Agencies, M/M, Midoriya Izuku-centric, Multi, Mystery, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance, Pale-Caliginous Vacillation, Pale-Red Vacillation, Polyamory, Rebellion, Revolution, Slow Burn, Trollstuck, corrupt government
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:42:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24811018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedDice/pseuds/RedDice
Summary: All men are not created equal. Some men are special in the worst way.Or,After years of living his life in perpetual fear, lime-blood Izuku realizes that evil governments should be toppled.
Relationships: Bakugou Katsuki & Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku/Todoroki Shouto, Bakugou Katsuki/Midoriya Izuku/Uraraka Ochako, Bakugou Katsuki/Todoroki Shouto, Bakugou Katsuki/Uraraka Ochako, Midoriya Izuku/Todoroki Shouto, Midoriya Izuku/Uraraka Ochako
Comments: 14
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this has been dancing around in my mind for a very long time now. I did my best to make this friendly and accessible for non-homestuck fans, but if you have any questions please feel free to ask!
> 
> Also:  
> Sweeps = 2.16 human years  
> Hive = home  
> Lusus = Their monster parent/custodian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full disclosure: The trollstuck elements of this fic are more limited to quadrants, psychic powers(although admittedly an odd distribution of this), and the hemospectrum. Homestuck isn't very clear about a lot of elements of troll society, so I will wing a lot of it. Additionally, there are some aspects of this that are clear that I simply don't care about(like Troll names, and the idea that all trolls have the same hair color). So just a warning before going forward

Izuku doesn’t know when he first met Bakugo. Technically he knows when it must have been--schoolfeeding age for trolls began at around two sweeps. And he knows that he must have met him there, as blue-bloods live far from low-bloods. Most of them only wandered into lowblood territory to harass and kill them, so he doubted that they met there. When he tried to think about it, their memories together came to him with sequences with no clear beginning but a distinct end. 

What he does remember is _after._ He remembers seeing Bakugo every day. He remembers the crowds that would gather around him at school. He remembers the other child’s very first question to him, _what’s your blood color?_

He knew the answer to give, having practiced all the answers with Inko for the past sweep. _Rust._ He says back, and then immediately puts distance between them with his heart nearly pounding in his chest. He’s never been the best at lying, and some irrational voice in the back of his head is screaming that Bakugo _knows._ He knows that Izuku’s a limeblood, and he’s told the government and they’ll kill Izuku before he gets back home to his hive. 

None of that comes to past. He keeps avoiding Bakugo anyway. His first tier exam is coming up, and he doubts that interacting with high bloods are going to help his nerves.

That doesn’t stop him from running into him half a sweep later, in the forests surrounding his hive. Izuku doesn’t wander outside often, but an empty hive tends to double as a lonely one. So he’ll go outside and interact with the animals there, because there’s no chance they’ll kill him over his blood color. His hive is isolated, placed somewhere far away from the seadweller infested oceans and far from the hives of even other lowbloods. Aside from a straggler or two, it tends to be isolated and on Alternia isolated tends to mean safe.

So it’s only ironic when Bakugo finds him there, when Midoriya is chasing a meowbeast. The small creature runs ahead and the other troll lifts it into his arms. He’s incredibly careful with his claws while petting it, but the expression on his face is far from gentle. It’s something of a triumphant smirk, just large enough to show off the few fangs he has. 

“I didn’t know there were any hives out here.” He comments, as he continues to hold the purring creature. “Don’t most lowbloods live near each other?”

“Yeah…..why are you even here? Blue-bloods live pretty far away.” He says, and not kindly. The animal starts to move in his arms and he puts it down.

“I’m exploring.” He says, smile widening as he takes in the surrounding area. “This place is barely on any maps. The trees are supposed to stop.” He informs him. _That’s the point._ Izuku thinks, trying to stop himself from shaking. From the way the other troll’s gaze locks on him, he knows that he’s failed.

“Calm down, as if I’d ever fight someone as weak as you.” He snorts, before asking.

“So….rustblood, how long have you lived here?”

* * *

  
  


Suddenly, Bakugo is his daily companion walking home, even though Izuku knows that his hive is far in the other direction. The blue blood asks a lot of questions, mostly about Izuku’s hive. For the most part, Izuku just tries to ignore him. He’s never befriended anyone with a blood color higher than olive before, and it would be too dangerous to start now. _What does it even mean to be friends with a highblood?_ Izuku wonders incredulously as the questions continue. Questions like, _Why do you live so far away from everyone? Do you have any neighbors? What do you do about wild barkbeasts or roar-beasts?_ He couldn’t imagine highbloods doing anything with lowbloods that didn’t involve viciously murdering them, much less befriending them-

“I just wait until they go away.” He says quietly once it becomes clear that the other troll will not stop. Bakugo snorts at that.

“I don’t fight them! That’s---only someone insane would do that!” He insists, voice getting high.

“Only a coward wouldn’t.” Bakugo rebuffs him, rolling his eyes. “What happens when you can’t run away?” he asks, lips pulling into a smirk at Izuku’s expression. 

“Can you even run away now? What are you going to do during our first tier exam?”

“I live in the middle of nowhere because it’s my ancestor’s hive. I don’t know why they picked the place they did.” Izuku says instead, knowing that line of question wouldn’t lead anywhere good. Besides, what he said was a lie, a well practiced one at that. Inko picked his hive precisely because she wanted him to be safe, and isolation typically meant safety on Alternia. His diversion attempt seems to work, because something close to pride gleams in the other troll’s eyes.

“I live in my ancestor’s hive too.” Bakugo says proudly before adding,

“So who’s you closest neighbor then?”

“I-I don’t know. I don’t really explore much.” He admits, and irritation returns to Bakugo’s eyes.

“You don’t know? What, do you spend all day hiding in your hive all day? How far have you even gone into the surrounding forests?”

“I-I don’t typically go--”

“Gog, you’re such a coward.” Bakugo tells him, and surprisingly that triggers incredible anger from Izuku. It wasn’t like he asked to live in fear, but this was the only way for him to stay alive. He wasn’t like Bakugo, blessed with a blood color that made people bow instead of attack. Still, his anger doesn’t outweigh his common sense, so he swallows it down and stares stubborn forward.

None of that stops Bakugo from walking him the rest of the way home. 

  
  


It takes forever for the constant fear of being caught to give way to relief at not being alone anymore. He asks more questions, and Izuku gives him his well practiced lies.Yet every time they escape his mouth, his throat seizes, and his heart drops to his stomach.There’s a fear that one of them will be a bit too curious, too _suspicious,_ and his entire story will unravel. When Bakugo presents the questions, it’s a moment of blunt curiosity that dissipates after Midoriya gives him his bland practiced answers. And suddenly, the prospect of friendship seems much less terrifying. He doesn’t know the exact moment when Katsuki becomes Kacchan, but he does know when Kacchan finally asks him a question he can honestly answer

It’s one afternoon, another half a sweep in, that Bakugo finally asks him a question that Izuku can honestly answer. They’re sitting outside of Izuku’s hive, eating snacks that Bakugo brought, something that was becoming quite routine. _Where is your lusus?_

“He died a couple sweeps ago.” Izuku says, stuffing more food in his face to avoid answering more. He’s not sure what he expects from the other troll, a bored shrug maybe? More jeering? But instead, Bakugo’s expression is grave and Izuku can see the sadness there.

“My lusus died too.” Bakugo says.

“I’m sorry.” Izuku says, because that’s what people say even if it never makes anything better. 

“Yeah well, I don’t need a lusus anyway.” he mutters under his breath and Izuku is tempted to ask him if he’s okay. Although that would be dangerously close to pale flirting. _This entire conversation is._ Izuku realizes, slightly mortified at how close they were even sitting, yet he feels no desire to increase the distance between them. If anything, he wants to move closer, to grab the other’s hand, to let him know that he wasn’t alone. 

He does none of that, and the two sit in silence for several moments. Then Bakugo extends his hand, revealing a golden necklace hanging from his claws.

“My ancestor left this for me,” Bakugo explains as Izuku leans forward, gaze caught by the moonlight glinting off the jewelry. “Today’s my wriggling day.”

“What are those inscriptions…?” Izuku asks, squinting at the necklace, eyes widening at the sight of Bakugo’s too wide, too proud smile. 

“Where did your ancestor get this?”

“The condense.” Bakugo responds, and his breath caught in his throat. 

“What! How?!”

“Lower your damn voice!” Bakugo barks, and pulls the necklace back. “She took it obviously. My ancestor was a pirate who took what she wanted, like a true troll.” he explains, and Izuku listens, for once entranced. 

“That’s incredible.” Izuku breathes, and Bakugo’s grin reveals his fangs. 

“ _Obviously._ Did your ancestors manage to do anything impressive?” Bakugo asks, and Izuku thinks of Inko, her work with Toshinori to save lowbloods and mutants, then their attempt to topple the Condense’s reign, and swallows hard.

“No, they had very standard lives.” 

  
  


After that, they start to explore the surrounding area of Izuku’s hive. Bakugo charges forward, but Izuku lets himself fall behind, sketching everything, taking notes. And for a while, things are good, better than he ever expected.

* * *

CarcinoCombatant [CC] has begun trolling CompassionateAnnihilation [CA]!!

CA: Izuko I’m happy that you made a friend, but I am concerned

CA: Highbloods are uniquely taught to fear trolls of your blood color

CA: So please keep taking your pills and be careful

CA: Also don’t forget to start preparing for your Tiers!

* * *

At five and a half sweeps, Midoriya wakes to see the other troll waiting outside of his hive for him. In his palms were two objects that were burnt far beyond recognition. Neither of them realized it at the time, but things were going to change forever.

After Bakugo’s psionics develop, suddenly everyone is always watching them. Izuku hears the whispers every time they step into the hall. 

‘I heard he has psionics.’

‘The rust-blood?’

‘No, the blue-blood!’

‘Practically unheard of.’

Bakugo is unlike him; he absorbs the praise as if he was born for it. Izuku can’t really blame them for falling so in love with him. His best friend was amazing, and inspiring in a way that Izuku never dreamt was possible. Even without his psychic powers, Kacchan was already formidable despite his young age. After school, he would pass the time by sparring with other highbloods and even some mid-bloods. During that time, Izuku would fill pages upon pages with analyses about his friend’s technique. Despite being almost universally praised, Bakugo was underestimated in a strange and very specific way. People rarely noted how creative his fighting style was; but if there was anything that Izuku could get lost in analyzing it was that.

His development of psionics made that even more so. For hours he watched his friend blow objects to pieces. They took turns tossing to him, each flinching more than a little as he decimated each object. _How has he somehow gotten stronger?_ Usually he responded to Bakugo’s development with excitement and some level of awe. But now there was real fear, a bitter taste that began to coat his mouth. 

He had never thought that it was possible to increase the divide between them, but now it was growing at a newfound rapid rate. Every day, he was reminded of how powerful Bakugo was getting, while Midoriya remained in the same state. Weak, and always afraid. He’s even more aware of it now that over trolls have started to gravitate towards Bakugo. Mostly mid-bloods, but some blue, and even purple at times. They glow at Bakugo, and flash their fangs at Izuku to remind him of how they see him. 

Even now, they’ve accompanied Midoriya and Bakugo to one of the latter’s training sessions. For the most part, they watch Bakugo exercise his growing powers with awe, but sometimes their gaze travels to him. Questioning most times, angry only some, but it’s enough to put Izuku on edge. His foot nervously taps the ground as he reminds himself that yes, he took his pills. They don’t know his true blood color, won’t know, he’s prepared. His fingers press against the odd points of the rock as anxiety rises within him, before tossing it to his friend. 

“Your tosses are weak Izuku.” Bakugo complains, as he blows another rock to smithereens. The smile he gives Izuku is more than a little cruel as he tosses a stick between his palms.

“How have you made it this long?” Gaku, a teal blood, joins in. “Don’t they cull defective rustbloods at birth?” 

“I’m not _defective._ ” Izuku spits back, swallowing down his own budding fear. As Gaku moves forward with Tsubusa flying alongside him, he tells himself that things are going to be okay. That he took his pills this morning, so even if he gets hurt, his blood will be rust colored and not lime--

“Could’ve fooled me. So what are you going to do during the first round of lower tier exams? You know the bottom quarter is eliminated right after they calculate the results.” Gaku continues with a leer. 

“I hear that low-bloods make up most of the failures.”

“He’s not useless enough to be culled.” Bakugo declares as he destroys yet another rock. “Cut that out. He’ll be spazzing for days if you keep that up and I’m not dealing with that.” 

And just like that, their attention is drawn away from him.

“It kind of sucks that you can’t control minds. Will you just have psionics?” Tsubusa asks and Bakugo scoffs.

“Who needs mind control when you have psionics? Why turn people into puppets when you can just kill them?” Bakugo asks incredulously.

“True,” Tsubusa concedes. “I guess you could still be a pretty good threshcutioner with just psionics, but mind control would definitely help-”

“I’m not joining those puppets either way-”

“They’re the most lethal soldiers of the empire.” Tsubusa points out.

“I can do better than that. I want to be the next grand highblood.”

“We already have one of those.” Izuku points out.

“Yeah but he’s old, he’s been around for centuries, it’s only a matter of time before I replace him-”

“But you can’t Kaachan. Only purple bloods can be subjugglators, and lead them.” he says, meaning to explain but he realizes that it was a grave mistake. He can feel the air around them chill as his friend fixes his angry gaze on him.

“When are your psychic powers going to develop, huh?” he taunts and Izuku stiffens.

“Well...I-”

“That’s the only way that you’re going to have any hope in catching up to me. Not that it would ever make any difference, I’d still beat you.” he declares, and for some reason it makes Izuku’s chest feel tight. It hasn’t been the first time Bakugo has made a similarly offensive comment, but this time he feels defensive.

“I don’t think that’s true!” He stammers, voice rising with his final words.

“I-I think I’ll catch up to you even if my psychic powers aren’t as strong. There are a lot of trolls who-” Bakugo cuts him off by blowing up the stick. 

“Maybe,” He concedes with a low laugh.

“But they’re still not half as good as I am.” 

At that, Midoriya gets up and heads home alone, and trips several steps in. He groans, dropping to his knees to check his leg for wounds, and his heart skips a beat at the sight of his skinned knee. It’s not the seriousness of the injury, but the color of the blood. Lime. 

He doesn’t think before he jumps to his feet, and breaks into a run towards his hive. Yet even as he tries to push his body to go _faster_ , he hears Bakugo.

“Hey, did you know that Izuku’s name can be read as Deku?”

* * *

  
  


It’s an easy fix, two pills each day to keep his blood the right color. At least, that’s what he tells himself, yet his gears keep turning. He wonders how long it will be until two aren’t enough, three even. And then there’s the matter of his supply. Communicating with Inko was risky under the best of times, she was off planet and at any moment their correspondence could be intercepted.

Yet, he doesn’t have enough pills. So he takes the only option available to buy himself more time, he starts skipping days, and takes two every other. He hopes it’s enough, but he feels like it isn’t.

School somehow makes things even worse. For some reason they’re covering unacceptable mutants in this unit, and limebloods are the first group that they discuss. Izuku is surprised at how much the classes affect him, after all, these were things he had heard before. But watching with knowledge of his dwindling dye collection makes things much worse. 

Bakugo intercepts Izuko on his way home after sneaking out of class.

“Deku! Where are you going?” His friend calls after him, wrapping his arms around the smaller boy.

“Don’t call me that!” Izuku shrieks, tears streaming down his face as he lashes out. His fist slams into the other troll’s chest, and Bakugo releases him with a groan. 

“What--what the hell is up with you?” He demands, looking startled. 

“There isn’t a point to this. I’m not staying there!” Izuku snaps back.

“What? You don’t like how they schoolfeed you? Fucking tough.” Bakugo snaps back, taking in Izuku with a gaze that was wide, confused and angry.

“What if Tsubusa’s right?” He asks, fears tumbling out as he shakes in front of his friend. 

“What?” Bakugo groans in exasperation. “I already said you’d be fine.”

“But what if I’m not!” He’s yelling again, heavy breathing making his chest tight and unbearable. When the tears resume, he turns away, not sure if he should focus more on breathing or just making the tears stop.

“Then you die.” Bakugo’s response lacks novelty. It is a statement of abstract truth with no desire to soothe.

“But if you’re giving up now, then you can pick a building to dive off of. It’s a better use of your time than sulking on the side of the god damn road.” 

His harsh statement is enough for Izuku’s gaze to shift back to him. 

“What?” He manages, voice heavy and angry.

“Do you have a hearing problem? If you give up now, you’re better off dead. There’s no difference between complete surrender and being dead. I’m not sure if the pathetic fear infested existence you have now is much better.” Bakugo huffs, and Izuku pushes him backwards without thinking. 

“How-how could you say that to me?” He demands, more hurt than anything. 

“Because if you give up now, you will die dumbass. You’re not in good shape now, maybe if I were half as weak as you were, I’d be scared all the time too. But I’m not going to let you stay weak, and it’s disrespectful as fuck to assume that I would.”

“Wait, are you saying….” he trails off as Bakugo’s lips stretch into something wide and bloodthirsty.

“A sweep and a half isn’t much time, but I could whip you into shape in half that time if I had to. And maybe by the end of this, you’ll be willing to explore around your hives. Hope you don’t have any plans tonight, _Deku._ You’re not heading home until you manage to outrun me at least _once.”_

* * *

CarcinoCombatant [CC] has begun trolling CompassionateAnnihilation [CA]!!

CC: Inko

CC: I think I’m running out of my pills

CC: I’m going to take them every other day, since I need to take two now

  
  


When Izuku is six sweeps old, he makes a discovery by way of a grave mistake. It occurs during one of his rare times spent outside of his hive, he hears a noise. A low, horrible one.

It’s the sound of someone sobbing, multiple someones, and it’s coming from somewhere ahead. Despite his best judgement, his feet move towards the sound and he finds himself witness to a terrifying sight. There are two rustbloods, two _real_ rustbloods, clutching each other as a highblood stands a few feet away from them. He’s older, Izuku can tell by the way his yellow eyes have filled in with purple nearly completely and how large he is. And his clown makeup helps Izuku recognize the troll as a young subjugglator. _Oh god._

He needs to leave. Needs to slowly and quietly sneak away before the troll even knows that he’s there. Highbloods were already uniquely dangerous, but subjugglators were in an entirely different class all together. He can’t help these people, it’s time to head home and if this rests on his conscience for the rest of his life, then so be it. He does not have time for this anyhow, he has an exam to study for, and it’s coming up _soon._

That’s the rational response anyway, but his legs won’t move. His brain won’t stop filling up with questions, like how long has this been going on? How many times have they shook him off their trail, only to be caught again? How long have they been trying to get away? His eyes can’t be pried away from their tears, or from the all too fresh bruises on their arms. Especially when the taller troll has started to move again. Midoriya can see the hint of a sharp smile and dried blood on his club. Things are becoming clear at a rapid rate: he wasn’t witnessing an assault, but an attempted murder. 

A scream rises in his throat as he surges forward, and finds himself standing in between the three trolls. His bloodpusher pounds in his chest as he takes in the scene he has found himself in. There are three pairs of wide eyes locked onto him, shock still palpable as he continues to speak.

“Stop.” He says, voice hoarse, body shaking because he doesn’t have a plan. He isn’t Bakugo, he doesn’t know how to make this turn out okay. The subjugglator bursts into laughter at the sight of him and it moves.

It’s clear that his previously slower walk was for effect, because suddenly Izuku is being lifted off the ground by his throat. 

“Oh, look at this motherfucker.” The troll breathes as Izuku finds himself staring into his endless purple eyes. And just like that, he finds himself thrown into the void. Despair and fear find and claim him all the way to his fingertips. He doesn’t need to be told what’s happening, he knows. _Chucklevoodoo._ The psychic defense of the purple, and soon to be Izuku’s cause of death.

“Get out of here.” He somehow manages as his legs kick uselessly. Izuku pulls at the hands around his neck as the troll laughs and laughs and laughs. The sound fills his ears even as his vision darkens around the edges, until suddenly it’s quiet and he finds himself on the ground. _He…..he dropped me._

Izuku realizes dazedly as he meets the eyes of the purple above him. They are tinged with shock, confusion, and maybe even a hint of fear as he shakes his head slowly.

“What the fuck did you….” He trails off, and then runs away. 

Immediately the rustbloods come to him with mouths of questions and first aid. 

‘Are you okay’ is paired with ‘what did you do’ and followed by a declaration of ‘thank you’. His replies range from ‘yes’ to ‘no’, to ‘what happened’? The two lower bloods share a look before answering him.

“Have you heard about the highbloods that have been dying?”

“The….what?” he whispers, unsure of what she could even be talking about. Highbloods caused death, they did not experience it.

“Someone’s been killing highbloods. And a lot of them think that we’re the ones doing it.” The male clarifies. 

“They think that lowbloods are killing them? Why?”

“The same reason why they killed all the limebloods.” The female rustblood answers, as she brandishes a bloodstained handkerchief. Stained with lime colored blood and panic hits him at the sheer sight of it. 

“Calm down, we won’t tell anyone! Not after you saved us.” She promises, and her partner nods in agreement. “My name is Hagakure, and his name is Ojiro.” Hagakure adds hastily. 

“Do you have any suppressants?” Ojiro asks.

“I do, I already took my pill for the day, has it stopped working?” Izuku’s voice is shaking. 

“Hey hey, calm down okay? It’s probably just because you’re getting older. You probably just need to increase your dose,” Ojiro explains, voice sounding neutral, calm even but Midoriya feels anything but. He’s not sure if he has enough supply to even increase things that much without getting another shipment. _And Inko already risks so much already._

The two trolls share another brief glance before addressing him.

“Does your moirail know?” Ojiro asks.

“My--what?”

“The blue blood that you’re always with.” Hagakure provides and Midoriya shakes his head.

“He’s not, he’s just a friend. How do you even know about that, anyway?” he asks.

“We go to the same school. Just different classes.” Hagakure explains.

“Anyway, there’s a natural suppressant that grows on Alternia. I heard that they work pretty well regardless of age, the only catch is that they’re on highblood territory.” 

“Highblood territory? What kind of Highblood?” Midoriya asks, resisting the urge to wring his hands out of anxiety. He hopes it isn’t a subjugglator, not after what just happened--

“Seadweller.”

Oh.

This was so much worse.

“Tell me more.”

* * *

  
  


He hopes to pass his exam with flying colors, to get a B at the lowest. 

He doesn’t, in fact he barely passes, but his bloodpusher can’t tell the difference. He passed, and it doesn’t matter how by how much. He passed, and they won’t kill him. 

Now he only has to do it two more times.

Inko is ecstatic when he tells her, Bakugo is furious about his lack of progress, but Izuku can’t stop himself from crying. Because he passed. He passed.

It’s still the only thing he can think of when Inko’s package arrives several days later, with a new pack and a thankfully larger bottle of pills. And a journal lying underneath of it. 

He’s so elated that he almost doesn’t catch what’s happened to some of the trees around his hive.

Several have been completely obliterated. 


	2. Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku learns how to be brave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year!

_He never seems scared._

It’s the first thing about the journal that really sticks out to Izuku. There is caution in almost every word on each page, but it seems absent of fear. He rarely even acknowledges it. All of this makes Izuku painfully aware of how often it’s on his mind. Even now, after days without another attack from either a highblood or any signs of a mysterious visitor, he still fears _something_ arriving. He can’t quite imagine living in any other state and he can’t imagine anything more humiliating. 

_But maybe that can change._ He thinks, from his place on top of his hive’s roof. He climbed up here shortly after the sun went down, journal and binoculars in hand. It’s been five days since he discovered the group of obliterated trees in the woods. And despite being unable to find any proof that the assailant will return, he feels like they will. It’s a nagging feeling in the back of his brain, similar to bee-sting but worse. Bees die after the first stab, but thoughts kept going.

Experimentally he flexes his hands, recollecting the moment he caught the indigo off-guard. Limebloods were eradicated due to their abilities, but what exactly did those traits entail? Could he actually pacify any troll? And even if he could….. _is that really enough against the Alternian empire?_ Mutant powers or no, all he had was Inko, and she was on a different planet. It seems like it’s only a matter of time before he’s either executed or killed by a random highblood. 

He doesn’t understand how Toshinori was able to be so strong when the world was against him. Inscribed inside of Toshinori’s journal, is _Persist_ , along with _never give in._ Every time he opens it, he feels like he’s falling into an entirely new world. One that mirrors his in many ways, with the main difference being older technology and the existence of hope. Izuku has been without it for so long, but with every page Toshinori hits him with more visions for the future.

_I will arrive and say I am here, and everyone will know that things will be okay._

It’s inspiring, but it’s also intimidating to be reading the thoughts of a man that had so many dreams, that was so brave and still failed. What did that say for him?

The knowledge itself isn’t comforting, but having something is. Yet his mind keeps going back to the fear that keeps him on edge. _It’ll fade, right?_ He thinks, tapping his pentip against his notebook. _It has to._ He hears a slight creak, coming from _inside_ his hive and immediately he reaches for his binoculars. _It’s probably nothing._ Izuku thinks, fingers gripping his binoculars. _The sun only went down a few hours ago. It’s probably just beasts from the surrounding areas._ But he isn’t sure, so he can’t bring himself to tear his gaze away. He’s sure that at some moment, any moment, that whoever is doing this will reveal themselves. Yet he’s been sure of that for several days now and he still hasn’t been able to catch them in the act. The forest has not been harmed further, no one has kicked down his hive door, and yet the hair on his arms refuse to lie down. 

Still he reads. He drinks in the activities of low-bloods and mutants that weren’t afraid to fight back. He learns about their meetings, their secret spots, their community. He reads about the secret passwords they would use, the number-codes that they would use to access their hidden compounds. It’s an entirely different world hidden under his own, and with Toshinori’s journal, it suddenly feels like it’s in reach.

“What the hell are you _doing,_ Deku?” A familiar voice demands, and Izuku jumps with something close to a scream. Climbing on top of his hive, looking more unimpressed than enraged, was Bakugo.

“Kacchan?” Izuku stammers, nearly dropping his binoculars as Bakugo angrily motions towards him.

“Why are you on your fucking roof?” He demands

“I was just watching the trees!” He tells the other troll.

“The fucking---what? And what’s wrong with using the goddamn window?” He asks, exasperated. 

“I….” he trails off, because what is he supposed to say? That he climbed up here because he was paranoid and scared? The truth?

“Fine, keep it to yourself.” He mutters, glancing over the edge. “I’m surprised you haven’t fallen off by now.”

“Hey! What does that mean?” Izuku tells him hotly.

“You know what it means, you’re clumsy as shit, Deku.” Bakugo responds, scowl morphing into a smirk. 

“Why are you here?” He shoots back.

“Because a loser barely passed his tiers.” Bakugo reminds him.

“Oh--” Izuku begins as the other troll walks over and snatches the binoculars from his hands.

“Can you even see properly through these?” Bakugo asks disdainfully as easily dodges Izuku’s flailing hands.

“Hey! Give them back!” He demands and receives a quick jab to the gut for his troubles. The limeblood hits the floor with a groan as the taller troll scrutinizes his equipment.

“Your defense is shit.” Bakugo says matter of factly. “And so are these. What exactly is important enough for you to be wasting time with a crappy lens anyway?” he asks, exasperated. _We’re back to this again already?_ Izuku thinks as he averts his gaze.

“I think something might be after me.” Fear may have been something that accompanied him at all times, but it wasn’t something that he liked admitting. Especially not to Bakugo.

“Why? Because someone decided to lash out at some trees?” Bakugo snorts and Izuku can’t help but glare at him. _Of course he doesn’t understand._ Strong people couldn’t understand weakness, yet that doesn’t stop Izuku from asking,

“That doesn’t worry you?” 

“No,” Bakugo says, laughing as he rolls his eyes. “You know why this shit freaks you out? Because you’re weak, and you’re going to fail your tiers if we don’t fix that.” He says as Izuku digs his claws into his palm. _It’s easy for you._ It isn’t fair, but nothing really is. Bakugo returns his gaze coolly. 

“What? Have something to say?” he prods and Midoriya takes a calming breath.

“It isn’t that simple! And I won’t make it to my tiers if someone kills me in my hive--” he breaks off as the binoculars explode in Bakugo’s palm and finds himself staring wide-eyed at his grinning friend.

“Nobody’s going to off you in your damn hive. I’ll kill any troll who tries,” he says matter of factly and for several moments Izuku just stared. Because he never considered that he wouldn’t be dealing with this alone. 

“What the hell are you looking at?” Bakugo scoffs at him again

“Now let’s go, or do I have to help you?”

* * *

  
  


_My bellowsacks are hurt._ He realizes distantly as he lies on the forest floor, claws grasping at the grass blades nearby.

“Well you’re not as shit as before,” Bakugo says, voice a sour mix of disdain and reluctant fondness. He peers at him a bit, grimacing a little.

“Your stamina still needs to be better.” He informs him flatly as he takes a seat next to him. 

“I feel like I can barely breathe.” Izuku admits. It makes him feel pathetic to admit it, but it’s the truth. Every inhale hurts, they’ve been training for hours and he feels like they should have stopped after the first.

“I already said you had shit stamina.” He responds quietly as Izuku sits up, breathing getting easier.

“I don’t remember the Tiers being an exclusively physical exam.”

“That’s right, you’re trash at the other subjects too.” Bakugo reminds him with a smirk, letting himself fall back next to Izuku. He’s tempted to argue, but Bakugo’s right, he barely passed last time. He does appreciate it, but it’s hard to focus on them with everything going on. Especially when they’re around a sweep away.

“You know what your problem is?” He continues, miming writing as he does. 

“You do too much of this _._ Watching the best isn’t the same as being the best.” He tells him matter of factly and Izuku grimaces. Bakugo rarely lectures anyone, he’s more than content to ‘let idiots destroy their own lives’. Frankly, Izuku can’t remember seeing him bother lecturing anyone else besides him, and he’s far from grateful for it.

“Well I like studying other trolls, how they fight, it’s really interesting to me…..” He mumbles, he’s never sure how to justify things to Bakugo. 

“Cut the shit Deku, you do it because you want to get stronger and that’s not the way how.” He tells him dismissively. “You’re scared shitless all the time because you’re weak, and memorizing your notes does fuckall to fix that.” 

Izuku doesn’t agree. Maybe Bakugo can keep him from being culled by the system, and even teach him to outlast highbloods, but he needs more than that. _Under Chucklevoodoos I could barely move. Stamina doesn’t matter if I can’t run._ It’s a sobering truth that would serve to make him feel more hopeless, if it wasn’t for the memory that followed it. Izuku can remember the wide eyed stare of the Subjugglator as its grip loosened on Izuku’s neck. He was a mutant with abilities, he just needed to figure out how to use them. Bakugo’s withering glare pulls Izuku out of his mind.

“How did Tsubusa do on his Tiers?” Izuku asks before Bakugo can jump down his throat. For a moment his anger evaporates, replaced by confusion with only a slight irritation running under the surface.

“Fuck if I know.” 

“He didn’t tell you?” Izuku pushes because they both know that he did. Bakugo only narrows his eyes, trying to figure out what the other troll’s game is. It hits him that he’s not scared of this angry blue blood, not of Bakugo, not of _Kacchan._ He thinks back to the conversation he had with Ojiro and Hakagure, how they thought he and Bakugo were moirails. _Is that what everyone thinks?_

“I don’t give a damn about his Tiers.”

“I know,” he admits, and Bakugo glares at him again.

“Then what?” 

Izuku only gives him his trademark nervous smile. 

“I’ll train more-” He begins, abandoning the sentence when he hears the sound of something in the woods. He freezes up, claws digging into the soft soil as his body tenses. Bakugo is slower to react, unused to most trolls actually posing a threat to him. He rolls his eyes at Izuku’s stiff form as he leisurely sits up.

“This is exactly what I mean.”

“Be quiet-” Izuku hisses back, eyes scanning the surrounding trees, trying to locate something. But whatever it was, moved too quickly, too fast for his eyes to actually follow. It’s gone, but he thinks he can probably find it’s path in more broken branches, torn down trees and clawmarks. Bakugo snorts.

“It’s probably a musclebeast.”

“Even if it is, we should still be quiet Kacchan!” Izuku insists, slowly rising to his feet. “Besides, if it was a musclebeast we would have seen it. You can’t miss them.” He reasons, and Bakugo glares, not a fan of being obviously wrong.

“Well then, _genius_ ,” The word is wrapped in disdain. “What do you think it is? Have any tips you’d like to share with the fucking class?” He snaps and Izuku’s answer rolls out in nervous babbles. 

“Highbloods! Subjugglators? Maybe even Seadwellers if we’re unlucky enough-”

“I’ll end them in seconds.” Bakugo says simply.

“You’ll….what?” Izuku says, sounding winded and suddenly the night is lit up with the electricity from Bakugo’s palm.

“Kacchan?”

“Purple, violet, fuschia, they all sizzle the same.” He states as he finally gets up, brushing his pants off with his free hand.

“I’ll handle it, but you better train while I’m gone Deku.” 

Then he’s gone.

* * *

  
  
  


The first signs of trouble are the bright flashes of light deep into the woods. At first they make him hopeful, Bakugo doesn’t miss and not even a seadweller could survive multiple direct hits of _that._ So Izuku waits and he waits and he waits, but Bakugo does not return. He hears no shouted profanities, there are no explosions of light in the distance, there is only a heavy, suffocating silence.

_I need to go after him._

Still other parts of him protest, his instincts tell him to stay or retreat. _Bakugo is stronger than you, if it’s taking longer than he’s probably just taking his time._ Another part of him whispers. _It’s only been twenty minutes._ But he knows who that voice is, what it is, it’s accompanied him for a very long time. Cowardice. 

“Twenty minutes too long.” he whispers aloud, claws nearly puncturing the fabric of his jeans, then stands once more. He feels off-balance somehow, unsteady, as fear pools in his stomach. He takes a cautious step forward, then two, then more, inhaling each way until finally he can smell _something._ Two things immediately became apparent, there was a lot of blood ahead but more importantly it didn’t belong to a blue-blood. _It’s not Kacchan’s._ He realizes as he impulsively moves forward, keeping close to the trees as he does so. 

The clawed trees catch his gaze first, their scratched bark almost highlighted by the moonlight. Then he notices that nearly all of the trees were covered in violet blood. His knees shake as he takes in the forest -no - the battlefield that surrounded him. This was like when he found Ojiro and Hakagure, but worse. _There was no way this troll survived. Whoever they were._ He thinks as he glances around, hoping to catch sight of the assailant or even some clues. But whoever had done this was long gone. _They probably already hid the corpse._ Izuku realizes. 

_The victim was a seadweller, actual royalty---what if they think---_

He shakes his head, trying to clear it. _I can’t focus on that right now. It’s not Kacchan. That’s all that matters_. He tells himself, moving forward and immediately tripping over something heavy and hard. He catches himself, barely maintaining his balance as he glances down. The scream that builds in his throat is muffled by his own hand as he recognizes a troll torso. 

Panic slams into him as he quickly scans the body for details. _Violet blood, just like on the trees. Gills. Seadweller. They-they-_

He shakes his head, everything-- his bloodpusher, his breathing--was too loud. They left the corpse, what if they were coming back for it? _I have to get away from the body._ Panicked thoughts flood him as he catches sight of the trail of debris heading north. _That’s where they went._ He realizes, instinctively stepping away from it before freezing in his tracks. _Kacchan. Did you follow it?_ He inhales again, deeper this time, fearing but hoping to catch a whiff of cerulean in another direction. But all he could smell was the blood of a dead seadweller.

“Fuck!” He curses aloud, covering his own mouth again. _Kacchan doesn’t fear other trolls. What if he followed them?_ He doesn’t finish the train of thought, instead swallowing down his fear. _I have to find him,_ he tells himself as he tries to think of a way to do this _safely._ Or at the very least make sure it’s not a suicide mission. _There’s no way they escaped without being splattered in blood. Not with how destroyed the corpse is._ He strategizes, taking in another whiff as he tentatively steps onto the path of destruction. _If I keep sniffing, I might even be able to find them before they see me. Or_ \--

Or find Bakugo’s corpse, but he refuses to think about not accept that. Instead he moves forward. 

He smells Cerulean sooner than later. It’s fainter than the absolute massacre he encountered closer to his hive, but strong enough to give him pause. Strong enough to worry. _I don’t smell violet anymore. Did the other troll leave? What if Kacchan’s-NO._ He refuses to consider it as he approaches the source of the smell, and he finds his friend, huddled near a tree.

“K-Kacchan?” he whispers, and Bakugo lashes out at him. Izuku is barely able to avoid him, claws grazing his sleeve but missing flesh. 

“Kacchan stop! It’s me!” He hisses, blocking the other troll’s hands. Bakugo was in a state of panic, lashing out wildly as Izuku tried his best to avoid his claws. He was acting on instinct now, no technique, just pure desperation but that made him easy to predict. Like second nature, Izuku easily dodges Bakugo’s right hook, and lightly smacks the blue blood’s cheek. Bakugo stills as Izuku continues papping him, even adding his remaining hand to the mix. 

“It’s me Kacchan. It’s me. _I am here._ ” He whispers, watching the terror fade from the other’s gaze. Bakugo lets out a sound close to a growl as his breathing quiets. 

“I-I’m-I didn’t mean to cut you. There was something here-”

“I know I saw the seadweller’s corpse. Did you see the troll’s bloodtype-”

“It wasn’t a troll.”

“Then what-” He’s interrupted by the sound of rustling nearby and Bakugo’s eyes widen again. Izuku paps him again, the action reflexive now before tugging on the other troll’s arm. 

“We have to go!” He urges, tugging his friend along with him as he tries to think. They both have to get back to his hive without somehow leading it back but how---

“It’s gone Deku.” Bakugo sounds defeated as he admits this. “I heard it go the other way, while I was-was-” He doesn’t finish, Midoriya doesn’t think he has to, he saw Bakugo’s condition when he first arrived. Frozen in fear, spring wound up so tight that he lashed out at the first living creature he saw. He doesn’t need him to admit that. He just grabs the other troll’s hand and tugs him in the direction of his hive, and after a few moments, Bakugo squeezes it.

Their walk back is a quiet one.

* * *

Bakugo moves through Izuku’s hive as if there are bombs hidden in the floorboards. _I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen him look so scared._ They still haven’t talked about the papping. Izuku doesn’t think they will.

“Did you do this to yourself?” Izuku asks after he finishes sewing up Bakugo’s arm. The other troll doesn’t answer for a bit, instead staring intensely at his newly closed arm.

“I know how to sew.”

“You shouldn’t sew up your own wounds if you don’t have to.” Izuku shoots back, more than a little snippy, but chooses to let that part of the conversation drop.

“What do you mean it wasn’t a troll?”

“It wasn’t.”

“Was it a musclebeast?”

“No, do I look like I’m afraid of _fucking musclebeasts_?” Bakugo snaps and Izuku blanches.

“Most trolls are.” He responds quietly.

“Most trolls are weak.” Bakugo tells him matter of factly, voice dripping with irritation.

“Then what attacked you then?”

“A fucking ghost.” 

“A what?” Izuku repeats, and Bakugo glares at him.

“A motherfucking incorporeal member of the goddamn undead!” Bakugo shouts at him.

“But-but did you attack a rustblood?” 

“Don’t you think if I saw a rustblood manipulating ghosts that I would have killed it? You were supposed to get better while I was gone but you’re still fuckin dense.” Bakugo growls and Izuku feels his face get red.

“It’s not my fault that your story doesn’t make sense!” Izuku shouts at him.

“What’d you say?” Bakugo demands and Izuku swallows hard.

“If it’s not a rustblood then where did the ghosts come from--”

“How the fuck am I supposed to know Deku?! I don’t know what was there but I know what fucking wasn’t!” He snaps and Izuku tries to restrain his ever-growing frustration. _None of this makes any sense and we’re getting nowhere._ _Start over._

“What happened before you were…...attacked by ghosts?” he asks carefully.

“I was following the damn troll that scared you!” Bakugo tells him hotly. “It was fast so I wasn’t able to find them immediately, and then I-” He breaks off, fang pricking his lip. 

“I found a trap in the ground, a fuckin hatch thing.” _Now that’s interesting._ Izuku leans forward, cutting into Bakugo’s space.

“What was in it?”

“I don’t know, you fuckin nerd.” Bakugo huffs. “It was locked. It had a shitty code combination, I was going to blow it open but then…..”

“You were attacked.” Izuku finishes, noting the coincidence of _that._ The gears in his head are turning, because he has definitely heard of combination hatches before. _In Toshinori’s journal._ It's truly absurd, to think that perhaps he has stumbled upon a remnant of their rebellion. To think that he has found hope. Yet his heart still swells. _I have to find it._ Bakugo narrows his gaze at him. 

“What is it?”

“What?!” Izuku stammers, blanching under his friend’s sudden glare. 

“You know something, you shitty little nerd.” Bakugo accuses.

“I don’t know what you mean Kacchan.” Izuku mumbles back, internally cursing himself for not being better at lying. 

“Bullshit.”

“Well erm, _anyway_ -” He begins, opting to change the subject instead. “Did you get lost? Before?”

“Did I fucking what Deku?” Bakugo growls, stepping into his space but all Izuku feels is relief. 

“I mean you didn’t come back and when I found you, it seemed like you were alone for awhile---”

“I was just bidding my fucking time.” Bakugo snaps, fangs barred now, face more than a little flushed. If it were anyone else, they may have dismissed it as Bakugo’s usual disagreeable demeanor. But Izuku had been around him long enough to read a lie.

“I can teach you how to read the stars,” Izuku offers quietly, although his mind is decently far away now. Back in the forest, on the code-locked hatch somewhere past the trees. _I’ll retrace my steps. It should be easy enough, the journal may even have some hints on how to crack it----_

“We can do it after we go to the market.” Bakugo grumbles, and Izuku’s heart stops in his throat.

“The market?”

“You need a video camera. Remember?” Bakugo says irritably and he thinks about the binoculars Bakugo destroyed. _Was that his plan from the beginning?_ On his heels are thoughts about the market, a place that may have useful things but was frequented by highbloods no less. _What if something happens, what if we’re---_

“Right,” Izuku says numbly, nodding a little before he squints at the rising sun. He’d deal with it tomorrow.

“It’s early. You should stay here until nightfall.”

  
  
  



End file.
